Samuel Wagan Watson facts for kids

Samuel Wagan Watson is a talented Indigenous Australian poet. He writes amazing poems that share stories and feelings about life in Australia.

About Samuel Wagan Watson

Samuel Wagan Watson was born in Brisbane, Australia. He has a rich background, being of Aboriginal (Munanjali and Birri Gubba), Irish, German, and Dutch heritage. His father, Sam Watson, was also a writer and a strong voice for his community.

Samuel grew up in the Mt Gravatt area of Brisbane. When he was a kid, he often went with his parents to protests. These were events where people gathered to speak up for important causes. He loved rock music, especially bands like the Doobie Brothers, and dreamed of becoming a rock musician himself.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Samuel had many different jobs. He worked as a salesman and a film technician. He also helped as a law clerk for a big investigation called the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. This investigation looked into why Aboriginal people were dying while in police care. Later, he moved back to Brisbane to focus on his writing.

Becoming a Poet

Samuel first tried writing short stories. But some companies that read his work suggested his writing had a strong poetic feel. This inspired him to switch to poetry. His first poems were in a special style called sonnets. Later, he started writing in a more open style called free verse. His poems often explore everyday experiences. They also talk about the effects of colonization, which means how the lives of Aboriginal people changed after Europeans settled in Australia.

In the late 1990s, Samuel joined a project by the Brisbane City Council. This project aimed to teach people about the Boondall Wetlands, a special natural area. He worked with other poets and artists to show the history of the Wetlands. This included both the local Indigenous history and the experiences of European settlers. In 2000, they even made an audio CD of their poems called Blackfellas Whitefellas Wetlands.

His 2004 poetry book, Smoke Encrypted Whispers, was turned into music! Many composers in Brisbane wrote short musical pieces for each of his poems. A famous musician, Paul Dean, led this project. One of the musical pieces, "Die dunkle erde," even blended German stories with Aboriginal culture. Samuel performed this piece with musician William Barton on a TV show.

Samuel also started performing as a singer in 2007. He has appeared at many literary events, including the Sydney Writers' Festival.

Special Projects and Work

The Japanese Aeronautical Exploration Agency once asked Samuel to write some haiku poems. These short poems were meant to entertain Japanese astronauts on the International Space Station!

Samuel has also worked at a radio station in Brisbane called 98.9FM Murri Country. He helps with community projects and is often invited to speak at events. He also guides young writers and artists, helping them develop their creative skills.

Festivals and Residencies

Samuel has been a guest at many literary festivals around the world. These include:

• The Brisbane Writers Festival in 2004 and 2014.
• Adelaide Writers' Week in 2015.
• The International Poetry Festival of Medellín in Colombia in 2015, where he represented Australia.

He has also been a "poet-in-residence" at different places. This means he lived and worked there as a poet for a period. In 2005, he was the poet-in-residence for a TV show called Sunday Arts on ABC TV. In 2007, he was a poet-in-residence in Indonesia, where his poems were translated for local audiences. He has also spent time as a poet-in-residence in the Yarrabah community in North Queensland.

Influences and Recognition

Samuel says his parents greatly influenced his writing. He also looks up to other famous writers and musicians like Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and Jack Kerouac.

You can even see Samuel's poetry as part of a bridge in Brisbane! The Eleanor Schonell Bridge in St Lucia has some of his poems decorating the footpath and railings.

He has received several important awards for his work:

• 1999: Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, David Unaipon Award for an Emerging Indigenous Writers for Of Muse, Meandering and Midnight.
• 2005: New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry Book of the Year for Smoke Encrypted Whispers.
• 2018: Patrick White Literary Award.

Personal Life

Samuel's aunt, Maureen Watson, was also a poet. She was known for her work helping families.

Samuel once had a health challenge that made it hard for him to give poetry readings. But he worked hard and recovered, and was able to continue sharing his amazing poems.

Selected Works

Books

• Of Muse, Meandering and Midnight. (UQP, 1999) ISBN: 0-7022-3174-6
• Itinerant Blues. (UQP, 2002) ISBN: 0-7022-3282-3
• Hotel Bone (Vagabone Press, 2001)
• Smoke Encrypted Whispers. (UQP, 2004) ISBN: 0-7022-3471-0
• Three legged dogs, and other poems. (Picaro Press, 2005) OCLC: 69249268

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